Delving into Data 7: The Effect of Christmas and London Commuter Towns

In this Delving into Data edition, we take a look back at the impact of the festive period on the on the UK housing market. We also share a view on the London commuter belt area of the UK and how this compares to property prices outside of the capital.

Festive Period Analysis

• Homes listed For Sale in January 2017 were on the market for an average 7% longer than houses For Sale in November 2016
• Over the same period, the average asking price has risen marginally by just over 1%
• New Instructions in January were higher than during the pre-Christmas period. This sudden rise in supply of houses has sparked a price jump in property values, with prices rising steadily since the New Year

London Commuter Belt Analysis

We may expect following the recent Southern Rail strikes, to see an impact in house prices or demand for homes served by the network or assume the general consumer mindset is less open to a commute to central London. The data, however, tells a different story: the top 10 most in-demand postal areas for January 2017 included loactions that can all be considered commuter areas, with towns such as Luton making the list, as well as even further afield Northampton. The top three most in demand areas were Dartford, Southend-on-Sea and Cambridge - with our Head Office home of Milton Keynes coming in fourth. The properties located in these four areas spend less than 118 days on the market; far below the national average of 180.

Look out for our next Delving Into Data feature coming soon on our Insights page. 

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